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James D. Underwood
Director
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Cheryl Busby
Youth Program Coordinator
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Sue Chapman
WIA Program Director
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Iowa Comprehensive Human Services (ICHS) is the successor agency to one that was founded in 1967 under the Economic Opportunity Act that sought to enhance the lives of disadvantaged people through the provision of opportunities and the opening of doors to economic success. The programs it provided were after school jobs and summer employment for youth along with emergency employment for adults.
Over the years, the sophistication of programming has grown so that now not only employment and training are offered, but much emphasis is put on supportive services such as educational planning and training and over coming barriers such as teenage pregnancy and parenting, health, substance abuse, and delinquency prevention. Collaboration with other agencies which have the ability to provide specialized services is also stressed.
ICHS has administered over $50 million worth of employment and training services as funded by various Federal, State, County, and local initiatives. The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard selected ICHS in 1990 as a national model for assisting farm families during the farm crisis and designated the agency as a leader in "Innovations in State and Local Government." Other recognitions include the U.S. Department of Labor's selection of ICHS' Asbestos Removal Training Program as an outstanding way of training parolees. Secretary of Labor Elizabeth Dole personally recognized ICHS and its collaborator The Des Moines YWCA as one of the ten best employment and training programs in the United States.
Over ICHS' 40 year history, the agency has focused on economically disadvantaged youth and adults who are in need of a first or second chance opportunity to become self sufficient citizens. Its mission is to provide education and jobs to low income and at risk Iowans. In meeting this mission, the agency has averaged over 500 clients per year and has experienced unusual success in assisting persons who have had little history of success.
ICHS WEB SCHOOL and PODCAST
ICHS Online Certifications
